The Event: J. Portugal Ramos/Duorum Wine Makers Lunch, May 4, 2009, Toronto

 

The Time and Date: Monday, May 4, 2009  12PM to 3PM

The Event: J. Portugal Ramos/Duorum Wine Makers Lunch, sponsored by the Portuguese Trade & Investment Commission

The Venue: Oasi, Sudbury Street

The Target Audience: wine press and sommeliers.

The Availability/Catalogue: wines are available from FWP Food and Wines of Portugal, except for Duorum (Whitehall).

The Quote/Background: two winemakers presented their wines from Alenejo, Portugal. Joao Portugal Ramos and José Maria Soares Franco together made Duorum. We had two winemakers from two regions making wines at two different altitudes. All grapes used were indigenous.  

The Wines:

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Duorum 2007 ($19.95 est., Whitehall)

-Conde de Vimioso Reserva Red 2005

-Marques de Borba Red 2004

-Duorum Reserva Red 2007

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Vila Santa Branco 2008

-J. Portugal Ramos Loios 2007

-Villa Santa Aragonez 2008

-Vila Santa Reserva Red 2007

-Duorum Vintage Port 2007

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Marques Borba Branco 2008

-Conde de Vimioso Tinto 2008 (Ribatejano),

-Marques de Borba Red 2008

-Conde de Vimioso Rose 2008 (Ribatejano),

-Marques de Borba White 2008

 

The Food: we had hors d'oeuvre, three courses, and dessert. The appetizers comprised an excellent sardine with cured lemon aioli, chicken liver parfait, oysters, and caramelized onion tartlette. They were posed against the lighter and younger reds and whites listed above. First up was an assiette de canard, foie gras and maple, rillettes & rhubarb and prosciutto & pine nuts. Second course comprised roasted skate wing & artichokes, Mennonite bacon and Genevoise sauce. The third course was grilled spring lamb chops, truffled polenta with a cilantro mint pesto. Dessert was a dark chocolate tart with toasted coconut and fresh cream. I tasted a variety of wines, going back and forth, as the food came out,

The Downside: It was a large crowd of people, and we were late in getting started.

The Upside: great wines, nicely relished. Matched well with the food.

The Contact Person: william.delgado@portugalglobal.pt

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 91.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com